Behind the Scenes of an Air ASW Mission.

摘要

Although its primary mission is air Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW), the U.S. Navy s P-3 Orion is often an integral part of a sea test or data acquisition exercise. As such, the aircraft often operates in conjunction with surface ships and submarines; and therefore, scheduling becomes a crucial part of the exercise. But planned schedules are often overcome by events and by technical decisions by personnel in charge, and therefore change. Typically, the assumption is made that the speed of an aircraft allows it great flexibility in the rescheduling process. However, what is not well understood by many participants are the constraints on the use of the aircraft which must be considered in the scheduling and planning process. This paper presents an overview of some of these constraints and describes what is involved in preparing a P-3 mission in support of an at-sea test exercise. It explains why several hours may elapse before an aircraft can be launched. It discusses aircraft and pre-flight requirements, aircrew size and qualifications, details of briefings, and real-world factors that affect missions. It is the intent of this review to provide a basic understanding of what is entailed in the preparation of a P-3 flight for an ASW field operation.